Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-04-22
Woman Suffrage in Wyoming.
Notes OF an address given by Judge Cary, Rep
sentative In Congress from Wyoming, at l
National Convention in XashinEton

sentative in Congress from Wyoming, at the
National Convention in Washington.
The season for argument is past.
Any one who will stop to think can
convince himself that woman ought to
vote. Some of the best men of the ma
ton are advocating this. l believe
that it will begin in tie Territories
and newer States and gradually spread.
The source of the strength of this
Government is that it rests on the
support of the governed. Whenever
it is necessary for this country to keep
large armies or navies to make patriots
of its people the country will not be
worth preserving.
I believe woman has the same
rights that I have. 1 learned in my
youth Of my mother, though born in a
slave-State, to believe in equal rights.
There will men rise up just enough to
concede these rights to women, and
women will exercise the right of suf-
frage quite as well as men. This re-
reform is moving ON. Great steps are
being taken. 1t took years of agita-
ton to convince men that woman
should do what she liked with her own
property.
Eighteen years ago the right of suf-
frage was given to the women of Wy
Oming. The women did not vote as
the dominant party wanted them to,
and the Legislature two years after
passed bill repeating the law. Gov
Campbell vetoed the bill. The House
| passed it over his veto, but it was
saved in the Council by one vote.
Women have voted as universally and
as cOnscientiously as men have voted
have had the honor of voting for wo-
men and of being voted for by them.
There are not three per cent. of women
old enough to vote who do not vote in
every part of the Territory. In intelli-
gence, beauty, grace, in perfection of
home and social duties, the women of
Wyoming will compare favorably with
those OF any other place. l have been
asked if the women of Wyoming neg
lect home duties on account of politics.
l never knew of any instance of this.
have never known controversy to
arise out of the wives voting differently
from their husbands which they often
do. If women could vote In the States
to-day they would vote as wisely as
men. The fact is proved that me-.
and women are educated by g :.er-
ience. Mans wisdom has co:SS from
experience. l believe the ws;sid is bet
ter satisfied with this forss of govern
ment now than it wss 4iity years ago.
There are some ;>sy women who do
not know egsssgh to vote, but there
are just smany dudes among the
men. "a boy is brought up with the
idea e9at he has not got to act in after
! he does not amount to much. If
! women are taught that they have got
to vote for men and women they will
be better educated.
l will state to woman's credit, she
has not sought Office, she is not ma
tural office-seeker. She desires to
vote, has preferences, and exercises
her rights. The superintendents in
nearly all the counties are women.
They have taken deep interest in
school matters. As rule they con-
troll school meetings. Three-fourths
of the voters present at school meet
ings are women. In Cheyenne they
are all who have the time to attend.
Give woman this right to vote and she
will make out of the boys men more
capable of exercising this right. If
there is a weakness to-day in this re-
| public it is the manner in which men
exercise this right. When women are
voters they will take interest in these
important matters. The movement is
taking a deep hold in the Western
States. The question is being argued
in every household, and the belief in it
is gradually spreading. 1 am not
ashamed of being in favor of woman
suffrage. have seen the results and
am satisfied that every woman should
have the right to vote.